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AI to be used for local roads health-check

GT News: 23/07/2019 - 09:00

New Department for Transport funding to improve the quality of local roads will see innovative artificial intelligence (AI) technology to be used to develop a thorough understanding of Britain’s road markings.

By having analysis on the quality of near 100,000 miles of road, the Department of Transport hopes to create a clearer-than-ever picture of where investment is needed and therefore be able to advise local councils where they could invest in areas that may need it most, improving road user safety on some of our busiest local roads.

Poor road markings pose an issue for all road users, making it difficult for road users to distinguish whether they can park on the side of the road, overtake or know how wide a lane is. This means road user safety can be put at risk due to a lack of clarity. By having a stronger road map of where markings need improvement, these issues can be rectified.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said: “Road markings play a vital role in keeping everyone who is using the road safe, so making sure they’re up to standard is imperative. This funding will allow for advanced AI learning technology to assess the condition of the markings to improve the safety of our roads for all users.”

The government will undertake the health-check in close partnership with the Local Condition Roads Innovation Group (LCRIG).

The investment is part of a wider £350 million funding package for improving the quality of local roads.